Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-26
Copyright, 1850
CHAPTER /.
II WHICH JOIN sOMs THE WIND.

Copyright, 1851
CHAPTER l.
II WHICH JOHN sOws The WIND.
John varey Nicholson was stupid; yet, stupider
men than be are now Sprawling In parliament and
Ia'uling themselves az the authors OF their own
distinction. lie was Of fat habit, even from boy
hOoI and Inclined 10 a cheerful and cursory read
ing Of the face OF life; and possibly this attitude
of mind was the original cause or his msfortunes.
Beyond this hint philosophy Is silent on his career
and superstition steps In with the more ready ex-
PLANTATION that he was detested OF the gods.
His father. that iron gentleman had long ago
enthroned himself on the heights OF the Disruption
Principles. What these are and IN spite OF their
grim name they are quite tnnOcent) no array OF
terms wOulf render thinkable TO the merely Eng
Msh Intelligence but TO the scot they often prove
unctiously nOurishing and Mr.. Nicholson found in
them the milk Of lions. About the period when
the churches convene at Edinburgh IN their annual
assemblies, he was to be seen descending the
mound IN the company OF divers red headed clergy
men; these voluble. he only contributing oracular
mods brief negatives and the austere spectacle of
his stretched upper lip. The names OF Candllsh
and Begy were frequent IN these interviews, and
occasionally the talk ran on the residuary estab-
nshment and the dongs OF one Lee. A stranger
10 the tight little kingdom OF scotland might have
listened and gathered literally nothing. And
Mr. Nicholson Cwho was not a dun man) knew this
and ragged at IL. He knew there was a vast world
outside TO whom Disruption Principles were as
the chatter OF tree-top apes; the paper brought
him chill whlfs from It; he had met English
who had asked lightly If he did not belong TO
the Church Of Scotland, and then had failed TO be
much Interested by his calculation OF that
nice point; Il was an evil, Wild, rebellous world,
lying sunk IN dOzenedHesS for nothing short OF
Scots word will paint this ScOtsmans feelings.
And when he entered his own house In Randolph
Crescent south side, and shut the door behind
him, his heart swelled with security. Here, at
least, was citadel lmpregnaDle by rfght-hand
family where prayers came at the same hour,
where the sabbath literature was unimpeachaby
selected. where the guest who should have leaned
To any false opinion was instantly set down, and
over which there reigned all the week, and grew
denser on sundays, silence that was agreeable
10 his ear, and gloom that he found comfortable.
Mrs. Nicholson had died about thirty and left
him with three ehidren-s daughter, two years,
and a son about eight years younger than John,
and John himself. the uDlucky bearer OF name
infamous In English history. The daughter
Maria, was good giri-dutifu, piOus, dun, but 50
easily startled that 10 speak 10 her was quite
perilOus enterprise. al don't think care To talk
about that, n you please" she would say, and
strike the bcldest speeches. by her unmiStakable
pain This upon all tOpicS-dreSs. pleasure. mo-
rality, Politics, in which the formula was changed
10 MY papa thinks otherwise and even religion,
unless il was approached with particular whining
tone OF voice. Alexander, the younger brother,
was sickly. clever fond OF books and drawing. and
ruii Of saiiTical remarks. In the midst OF these
imagine that natural. clumsy, unintelllgent, and
mirthIul animal JOhn-mlghty well behaved In
the mark Of the house In Randolph Crescent; full
OF sOrt Of laundering affection; full OF caresses
which were never very warmly received; full OF
sudden and loud daughters, which rang out In that
Stlll house Ike curses Mr. Nicholson himself mad
great fund OF humor OF the scots order-intel-
lectual turning ON the observation OF men; his
own character Tor instance, II he could have seen
II In another. would have been rare feast TO him.
But his sons empty outlaws over broken plate,
and empty, almost light-headed remarks, struck
him with pain as the indiceS OF a weak mind
outside the family John had early attached him.
steps OF Alan Houston, a lad about year older
than himself, idle triiie Wild the heir TO a good
estate, which was stlll In the hands OF a rigorous
trustee, and so royalty content with himself that
he took Johns devotion a. a thing OF course The
intimacy was gall 10 Mr.. Nicholson; IL TOOK his
son iron the house, and he was jealous parent;
kept him from the oflice, and he was martinez:
lastly, Mr. Nicholson was ambitious for his family
On which, and the Disruption Principles, he en-
tirey lived, and he hated TO see a son OF his play
second nddle 10 an idler. After some hesitation he
ordered that the Friendship should cease-an unfair
command, though seemingly inspired by the spirit
OF prophecy; and John, saying nothing continued
TO disooey The order, under the rose.
John was nearly nineteen when he was one day
dismissed rather earlier than usual from his
fathers ONCE, where he was studying the practice
OF the law. IL was saturday; and except that he
had a matter Of f4Oo IN his pocket which it was
his duty TO hand over to the British Linen Com
panys Bank, he had the whole afternoon at his
disposal He went by Princes street, enjoying the
mild sunshine and the little thrill OF easterly wind
that tossed the nags along that terrace OF palaces
and tumbled the green trees In the garden The
band was playing down In the valley under the
Castle; and when IL came To the turn OF the pipers
he heard their wild sounds with a stirring OF the
blood. sornething distantIy martial woke In him,
and ne thought OF Miss Mackenzie. whom he was
Now, IL Is undeniable that he should have gone
directly TO the bank, but night In the way stood
the billlard-room OF the hotel where Alan was al
most certain 70 be found, and the Temptation
proved too strong. He entered the biiari-room
and was Immediately greeted by his friend, cue In
hand
Nicholson" said he, al want you to lend me
pound or two TIL Monday"
you've come to the right shOp hayenr you,r
returned John; II have twopeneeS
~Nonsense,' said Alan; "yOu can get some Go
AMI borrow at your tailors; they All do il. or, III
Tell you what; pop your watch"
~, yes daresay," said John "And how about
'.tiow Is he TO know? He doesn't wind IL I'D for
you at night does he?" inquired Alan, at which
John gunawed. mo, seriously, am In a NIX"
sohlihaed the temper. Il have lost some money
10 man here. III give IL to you Tonight and
Soa can get the heirloom out again on Monday
come, II small service, after all / would DO
good deal more for yoU.S
Maleh uider ne assumed name OF John Frogs s.
fietsahcs. But the NERVOUSNESS that assailed him
Al the dOorOf that ingloriOus haunt-a pawnsbOI
and the enOrt necessary 10 invent the pseudonym
(Which somehow, seemed 10 nim a necessary parr
OF tne procedQre), had taken more time than he
imagined, and wnen he returned 20 the billiard.
ivoal Win the spoils the bank had already closed
This was shrewd knock a piece OF business
had oeen neg lected-" He heard these words In
MS 1athers trenchant voice. and troubled ana
Snen uocsed the thought. After all, who was 20
know! lie must carry f4OO about with him TIL
Monuay' when The neglect could De surreptitiOusly
Irpaireu; and meanwhile he was free TO pass the
AFTERNOON on The encircing divan OF the billiard
IOou smoking his pipe, slipping pint OF ale. and
ehloylns 70 the masthead the modest pleasures
VI admiration
None can admire Ike a young man. OF all
Youth ; passions and pleasures this is the most
eTnnOn and least alleged, and every fash OF
iaA Dlack eyes; every aspect OF his curly head:
sssry sracrIul reach, every easy, stand-on atti.
tuue OF waiting; ay, and down 20 his shirt-sleeye-s
Anu Wrlst-lnhs were seen by John through a lux
utlOus CORY He valued himself BY the posses
s1on u t1at royal Trend, hugged himself upon
.ne lnousnt, and swain In warm azure his own
ueiects IKE Nanquished difficulties becoming
.s.Angs on WHICH 10 plume himself. Only when he
tnougnt u N ISIS Mckenzie there fell upon his mind
snsnoN OF regret; that young lady was worthy
VI oettei THINGS than plain john Nicholson still
Ano~h among schOolmates by the derisiye name
oi fatty; and he felt, II he could chalk a cue or
SIAM AZ ease, with sucn careless grace as Alan
Ae could approach the object Of his Sentiments
Win less crushing sense OF 1nferiorlty.
BEFORE they parted Alan made a proposal that
Was startling In the extreme. lie would be at CO.
Iettes that night about IL, he said. Why should
ho sOnn cone there and get the money: To go
10 COettSs was 10 see life, indeed: u was wrong.
~ was against the laws; IL partook in a yeIs
uihsy manner, OF adventure Were IL known IL
was the sort Of exploit thai dtsconsidered . vnIn1
Ian Tor gOod with the more serious classes but
gave him standing with the rfoto,ls And vet
Cclettes was not hell; 10 could NOT come with
ma